Manually operable positively driven loom thread holder



Dec. 26, 1944- w. H. WAKEFIELD I 2,365,668

MANUALLY OPERABLE POSITIVELY DRIVEN LOOM THREAD HOLDER Filed-May 6, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [72 Manic? 4 Q mum ewmw A: z a f ncy 1944. w. H. WAKEFIELD I 2,365,668

OLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MANUALLY OPERABLE POSITIVELY DRIVEN LOOM THREAD H Filed May 6, 1944 [IIIIIIIL [7206728079 mm 56. wmv km MW. 7-

fizz ownez Patented Dec. 26 1944 MANUALLY OPERABLE POSITIVELY DRIVEN, LOOM THREADVHOLDER f Walter H. Wakefield, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Crompton & Knowles LoomNVorks, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 6, .1944, Serial No. 534,471

8 Claims.

connected to their driving mechanism.

Weft.replenishing looms more particularly of the multicolor type employ several stacks of bobbins from which weft ends extend to a thread holder. For proper operation of the loom it is necessary to keep these weft ends under tension sufficient to hold them above the lay which reciprocates below the bobbin magazine. It has been proposed heretofore to employ a pair of thread engaging gears between which the weft ends extend and mounted so that they can be rotated in such a direction as to draw the weftends in a direction away from the magazine. the threads extending from the bobbins are coarse they impose considerable loadon the gears and devices heretofore employed for turning the gears are not always satisfactory, particularly if a large number of coarse threads or weft ends lie betweenthe gears.

When fresh bobbins are placed in the magazine their weft ends are drawn off and laid across the gears which are then turned manually to draw the new or additional weft ends between them.

and also establish proper tension. It is an important object of my present invention to provide means for driving the thread ears slowly and at a uniform rate to keep the weft ends un- I tensioning new weft ends.

It is a more particular object of my present invention to provide planetary gearing between the thread engaging gears and some part of the loom which rotates during loom operation. Because When of its location and slow rate of turning it is convenientto use the take-up roll to supply the driving force for the planetary gearing, but any other regularly rotating part of the. loom suitable for the purpose can be used to supply the driving force. The planetary gearing is so constructed that the planet gear .or pinion which is the driven member of the unit is. connected to the thread gears, as by a flexible shaft, to cause them to turn under normal conditions. The

planet pinion is mounted so that it can swing around the axis of a solargear to permit manual operation. of .the thread gears.

The weft ends ordinarily impose resistance to the turning of the thread gears and when the latter are manipulated to tension new weft ends the planet gear swings to a non-operating position where .it is held against rotation by the weft ends. This is particularly true after fresh bobbins have been placed in the, magazine and a large bundle of threads lie'between the thread gears. Since the planet pinion is not free to rotate on it axis at this time it will be moved back to normal position by continued rotationof the solar gear, after which the pinion starts to rotate. After the planet ear has moved away from its normaldriving position there will be a brief period during which the thread gears are not turned, but this time will ordinarily occur .immediately after the operator has tensioned the weft ends by a turning of the thread gears and there is very little likelihood that objectionable slackness will develop in the weft ends before the planet pinion is returned to its normal position.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of one end of a weft replenishing loom'showing my invention applied rection of arrow 2, Fig. 1, showing the relation of the magazine, the thread holder andfiexible shaft which drives the thread gears,

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic View showing normal operating conditions and indicating the directions of rotation of the solar, planet and thread gears when looking in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is similar to. Fig. 3 but shows the conditions existing immediately after manual turning of the thread gears,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section on line 5 5 of Fig. 2, v

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section on line 66.of Fig. 1, showing the planet pinion in working position and also in intermediate and extreme non-working positions, and

.Fig. '7 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 6, the planet pinion and its support arm correspondin to the intermediate dotted line position of Fig. 6.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, I have shown a loom frame l8 having a lay II on which is mounted a shuttle l2 located under a bobbin magazine M on alternate picks of the loom when the lay is preferably on front center position. The magazine as indicated in Fig. 2 is provided with four stacks ofreserve bobbins B the weft ends W of which extend to a thread holder indicated generally at H. The thread holder has front and back thread engaging geared members I3 and I4, respectively, which in practice are gears made of Bakelite and having smooth teeth which do not abrade the threads. These gears are mounted on a casing; or support l5 held at the outer end of a support arm IS the left end of which asindicated in Figs. 1 and 2 is held at I! to some part of the magazine, such as a tie rod l8, extending between the inner and outer magazine bobbin guiding plates l9 and 28, respectively, between which the reserve bobbins lie.

During loom operation the bobbins B have a tendency to rotate on their axes in such directions as to slacken their weft ends and it is desirable that provision be made for turning the thread gears l3 and I4 to take up this slackness. At the time of transfer operation one or another of the reserve bobbins is pushed downwardly into th shuttle I2 in well-known manner and all the other bobbins in the corresponding stack fall with an accompanying slackness of their weft ends. This slackness also should be taken up by rotation of the thread gears so that the threads W will be keptabove the path of the lay l I.

The front part of the loom is provided with a breast beam on which is rotatably mounted a cloth or fabric take-up roll 26 rotatable in bearings extending forwardly from the breast beam. In Figs. 6 and 7 one of these bearings is indicated at 2'! and receives a gudgeon 28 projecting from the adjacent end of the take-up roll. During loom operation the take-up roll is rotated in the direction of arrow a, Fig. 6, to advance the fabric F as the latter is woven. The driving mechanism for the take-up roll has been omitted from the drawings since it is well understood and is ordinarily located on that end of the loom opposite the magazine. desired be formed with a cap 29 held to the main part of the bearing by bolts 30.

The thread holder casing or support 15 may comprise a box-like structure having a vertical web 36 provided with a bearing 31 through which extends a short shaft 38. This shaft is made with' a flange 39 and has its outer end reduced at 40 to receive a nut 41. The front thread gear I3 is clamped between the flange 39 and the nut 4|, as will be apparent from Fig. 5, so that whenever the shaft 38 turns the thread gear l3 will turn with it and cause rotation of thread gear l4 with which it meshes.

The matter thus far described may be of the usual construction, those parts of the thread holder already described being substantially the same as set forth in certain prior patents to Payne such for instance as Patent No."1,842,731.

In carrying my present inventioninto effect I provide a driving connection between thread gear [3 and a member which rotates during loomoperation, such as the take-up roll. As shown in Fig. 5 the left end of short shaft 38 has a tapered thread and is split as at 46 to receive the core The bearing 21 may if Cir 4! of a flexible shaft 48 having a sheath 49. A nut 50 having tapered internal threads surrounds the tapered threads 45 and when set up to the position shown in Fig. 5 clamps the split end of shaft 38 against the shaft core. In this way the shaft 38 is required to turn whenever the core 41 rotates.

As shown more particularly in Fig. 1 the flexible shaft extends across the front of the magazine to mechanism associated with the take-up roll. In order to support the shaft I extend one of the tie rods 53 beyond the outer magazine plate 28 and secure thereto the hub 54 of a small arm 55 inclined downwardly and outwardly and having an upturned end 58 through which the shaft 48 passes. Clips 51 and 58 on the outer and inner magazine end plates 28 and I9, respectively, hold the intermediate part of the shaft in fixed position, while a guide 59 secured to the loom frame, see Figs. 1 and 7, affords guiding support for the end of the flexible shaft adjacent to the take-up roll. The shaft is free to move slightly with respect to the upturned end 56 of arm 55, and is also capable of slight longitudinal motion through the guide 59, so that the ends of the shaft are capable of slight movement relatively to the magazine and loom frame In.

A planetary gearing mechanism, such as shown more particularly in Figs. 6 and '7, is operatively connected to the take-up roll 26 and to the flexible shaft 48. As shown in Fig. 7 the gudgeon 28 of the take-up roll has tapped thereinto the threaded end 65 of a stud 66 preferably coaxial with the take-up roll. A solar driving gear or member 67 is pinned as at 68 to the stud' 66 and therefore rotates with the take-up roll whenever the latter turns. A support arm or lever 10 has a hub H freely rotatable on the stud between the gear 61 and a stop pin 12. As shown in Figs. 6 and '7 an arm 15 extends from the hub H and has formed thereon a bearing 16 in which rotates a shorter stub shaft 11. The inner or right end of this shaft 1'! as viewed in Fig. 7 has a driven planetary pinion, gear or member 18 held thereto by pin 19. The pinion is thus mounted on support "ill for rotation about its axis and also revolution about stud 66. Theleft end of shaft 11, see Fig. 7, is connected to the core 41 of the flexible shaft in a, manner similar to that already described in connection with Fig. 5. For this purpose a nut when set up tight on the tapered threads 8| of shaft 11 clamps the latter tightly to the core 41 of the flexible shaft.

The pinion support means comprises an arm I8 provided with a counterweight 82 which is not quite heavy enough to balance arm 15 and the structure carried by it, but is sufficiently heavy so that only a slight force is required to hold arm 18 in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 6. The cap 29 of the bearing 21 is provided with upper and lower stop pins 84 and 85, respectively, positioned for engagement with the counterweight 82 to limit angular movement of the support 18 around stud 66. Ordinarily the counterweight is in engagement with the lower stop pin 85 and the pinion is in the high position shown in full lines in Fig. 6.

In normal operation, the flexible shaft causes the planet pinion to rotate in unison with the gears l3 and I4, and rotation of the take-up roll causes the solar or driving gear 61 to turn in the direction of arrow a, Fig. 6. Since the counterweight engages stop pin 85, the pinion 78 is held with its axis stationary and caused to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 6, thus turning the core 41 of the flexible shaft to rotate thread gears l3 and I4. Arrows in Fig. 3 indicate the direction in which the gearing turns 75 under normal conditions, and suggest that the 2,865,668 I thread gears turn in such adirection as to tension the weft ends W. I

The pinion l8gturns during'loom operation to subject the weft ends to continuous tension to take up slackness which may result either from rotation of the bobbins or transfer. operations of themagazine. When it is necessary to place a fresh supply of bobbins in themagazine their weft ends will ordinarily be drawn off and laid over the gears l3 and ,after which the latter will be turned manually by the operator at a rate faster thantheir normal rate of turningin order to draw the new oradditional weft ends between the thread gears and tension them. At this time the core 41 is given a quick right hand rotation as viewed in Fig. 3 and causes the pinion to roll aroundthe solar gear in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. .6. If the thread gears have. beengiven only a slight turning the planetary pinion maymove to some such position as I, seeFig. 6, butii they have been givena greater turning novement the pinion will move to the low position indicated at II with the counter weight in engagement withthe upper stop pin 84. In common practice less than a complete rotationof the thread gears is necessary in order to. establish'proper holding relation with the new weft ends ,andthe pinion '18 may not always occupy, position II. M l

. The. additional weit ,endsufrom the bobbins newly placed in the magazine will ofier increased res-istanceto turning of the thread gears 53 and 14 and this resistance will be sufficient to preventv the pinion it from turning on, its axis. When. the planetary system is. therefore in the position shown in Fig. l the pinion is unable to turn on its axis either to the right or left but is caused to maintain a non-rotary relationship with respect to the support ill. Under these con-- ditions gears l3 and M, andthe pinion are held against rotation, as suggested in Fig. 4 by absence of certain arrowsshown in Fig. 3.. As gear 6'! continues to turn the pinion rises in the direction of arrow b, Fig. l, until the counterweight again engages thestoppin 85. The pinion. is then no longer able to travel around the solar gear and begins to rotate units axis. The force derived from the solar gear is ample to overcome the resistance of the weft ends between the thread gears l3 and I4. Thus it is that after the thread gearsv have been given arapid move.- ment to tension new weft ends the gear '6'! acts in conjunction with the resistance to turning of the thread gears ofifered by the weft ends to restore the pinion to itsunormal working position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided driving connections between a rotating part of the loom and the thread gears comprising planetary gearing the solar gear of which turns regularly during loom operation and the planet gear or pinion of which is normally turned to cause rotation of the thread gears, through rotary driving rnecl'ianisrn or connecting means, which in the present instance is the flexible. shaft Itwill also be seen that when the thread gears are manually .turneol faster than normal rotation in order to tension new weft ends the planet gear rolls around the solar gear in a direction opposite to that in which the solar gear turns .to some such position indicated either I or II enceloi weft ends between the thread gears causes.

the solar gear to return the planet gear to its normal working position, after which turning of the tlneadgears is resumed. In considering certain features of the invention the shaft 11 may beconsidered as the planetary member while the pinion 1'8. constitz'ites a driving connection between it and: the solar gear.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without depar-ting, from the spirit and scope of the invention and Ido not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

I. a weft replenishing loomv having reserve bobbins from which weft ends extend to meshing geared members rotatable to tension said weft ends, a driving gear rotating during loom operation, a driven gear continuously meshing with said driving gear, connecting means causing said driven gear and one of said geared members to rotate in unison, support means mounting the driven gear for bodily movement about the axis 7 of the driving gear from working position to. a

non-working position, and a stop normally en gaging the support and cooperating with the driving gear to hold the driven gear in working positionv and cause rotation of the driving gear to turn the driven gear: and geared members to tension. the weft ends, the weft ends preventing substantial rotation of said geared members when the driven gear is in non-workingposition and preventing rotation of the driven gear and causmg continued turning of the driving gearto efiect return 01; the driven gear to working position.

2; In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which weftends extend to meshing thread gears rotatable to tension said weft ends, a solar driving member rotating during loom operation, a driven rotatable planetary member, means mounting the driven member for movement to different positions, driving connections member, stop means normally cooperating with the driving member to maintain the driven memher in a given position in which the driven memher is caused to rotate by the driving member to turn the thread gears to tension the weft ends, connecting means between one of the thread gears and said driven member causing the latter to turn in unison withsaid thread gears, the driving member ancl'connecting means normally causing'the thread gears to turn to tension the weft ends, the weft ends preventing substantial rotation of the thread gears and driven member when the latter is in any of said positions except said given position and preventing rotation of the driven member and causing the driving member acting through said driving connections to return said driven member to said given position.

3.111 a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which weitends extend to meshing geared members rotatable to tension said weft ends, actuating means rotating during loom operation, a driving gear rotating with said actuating means, a driven gear continuously meshing with said driving gear,- connecting means causing said driven gear and one of said geared members to rotate in unison, support, means mounting the driven gear for bodily movement about the axis of the drivinggearfrom working position, to a non-working position, and a stop normally engaging the support and cooperating with the driving gear to hold the driven gear in working position and cause rotation of the driving gear to turn the driven gear and geared members to tension the weft ends, the weft ends preventing substantial rotation of said geared members when the driven gear is in non-working position and preventing rotation of the driven gear and causing continued turning of the driving gear to effect return of the driven gear to working position.

4. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which weft ends extend to meshing geared members rotatable to tension said weft ends, a cloth take-up roll rotating during loom operation, a driving gear rotating with said takeup roll, a driven gear continuously meshing with said driving gear, connecting means causing said driven gear and one of said geared members to rotate in unison, support means mounting the driven gear for bodily movement about the axis of the driving gear from working position to a non-working position, and a Stop normally engaging the support and cooperating with the driving gear to hold the driven gear in working position and cause rotation of the driving gear to turn the driven gear and the geared members to tension the weft ends, the weft ends preventing substantial rotation of said geared members and driven gear when the latter is in non-working position, and causing continued turning of the driving gear to return the driven gear to working position.

5. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which weft ends extend to meshing geared members rotatable to tension said weft ends, a cloth take-up roll rotating during loom operation, a solar gear rotating with said take-up roll, a planet gear meshing with said solar gear, a support for the planet gear with respect to which the latter rotates, means mounting the support for movement angularly about the axis of the solar gear, rotary driving mechanism causing said planet gear and one of the geared members torotate in unison when either the planet gear or said one geared member rotates, and a stop limiting angular movement of the support in the direction in which the solar gear turns and effective when engaging said support to cause the solar gear to turn the planet gear and thereby effect turning of said geared members to tension said weft ends at a given rate dependent upon the rate of turning of the take-up roll, said geared members when rotated manually faster than said given rate to tension additional weft ends causing said planet gear to roll along the solar gear and move said support away from said stop, the additional weft ends acting through said geared members and rotary driving mechanism to prevent substantial rotation of said planet gear relatively to the support and causing said solar gear as the latter continues to rotate to move the support back into engagement with said stop.

6. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which weft ends extend to meshing geared members rotatable to tension said weft ends, a cloth take-up roll rotating during loom operation, a gear rotating with said take-up roll, a pinion meshing with said gear, a support on which the pinion is rotatably mounted, means mounting the support for angular movement about the axis of the gear, connections causing the pinion and one of said geared members to rotate in unison, and a stop limiting angular movement of said support in the direction in which the gear turns, said gear normally turning said pinion and effecting rotation of the geared members at a given rate to tension the weft ends when said support engages said stop, said geared members when rotated manually at a rate faster than said given rate to tension additional weft ends causing said pinion to roll around said gear and move the support away from said stop, said weft ends holding the geared members substantially stationary and preventing substantial rotation of the pinion relatively to said support and causing continued turning of said gear to move said'support back into engagement with said stop.

7. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which weft ends extend to meshing geared members rotatable to tension said weft ends, a cloth take-up roll rotating during loom operation, a, solar gear rotating with said take-up roll, a planet pinion meshing with the solar gear, means mounting said planet pinion for rotation on its axis and revolution about the gear while meshing with the latter, connections causing the pinion and one of the geared members to rotate in unison, and a stop limiting revolving movement of the planet pinion about the solar gear in the direction in which the latter turns and normally cooperating with the solar gear to maintain the planet pinion in operating position, said gear turning the pinion when the latter is in operating position to effect turning of the geared members at a given rate to tension said weft ends, said geared members when manually rotated at a rate faster than said given rate to tension additional weft ends causing the pinion to revolve about the gear in a direction opposite to the direction in which the gear turns and move to a non-operating position, the weft ends preventing substantial rotation of said geared members and pinion by said gear when the pinion is in non-operating position and causing continued turning of the gear to effect return of the pinion to operating position.

8. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which weft ends extend to meshing geared members rotatable to tension said weft ends, a cloth take-up roll rotating during loom operation, a gear secured to and rotating with said take-up roll, a, pinion meshing with said gear, a support mounting the pinion for rotation on its axis and revolution about the axis of the gear, a flexible shaft causing the pinion and one of said geared members to rotate in unison, and a stop for said support limiting angular movement thereof in the direction in which the gear turns, said gear turning said pinion to turn said a shaft to effect rotation of the geared members at a given rate to tension the weft ends when said support engages said stop, said geared members when rotated manually at a rate faster than said given rate to tension additional weft ends causing said flexible shaft to turn said pinion and cause the latter to roll around said gear and move the support away from said stop,said geared members thereafter being held substantially stationary by said additional weft ends to prevent substantial rotation of the pinion relatively to said support, and continued turning of said gear resulting in movement of said support back into engagement with said stop.

WALTER H. WAKEFIELD. 

